Gantry car apparatus for casting molten metal



April 1,1969 w Mama; 3,435,882 j.

V GANTRY CARAPPYARATUSIFOR CASTYINGY MOLTEN METAL Fil ed me 20. 1966 Sheet of s r INVENTOR.

Martin C. Fa/k April 1, 1969 M c. FALK 3,435,882

I GANTRY CAR APPARATUS FOR CASTING MOLTEN METAL Filed June 20. 1966 Sheet ,3 of 5 INVENTOR. Martin C. F a/k SK aw H/S A TTORNEYS April 1, 1969 M. c. FALK 3,435,882

'GANTRY CAR APPARATUS FOR CASTING MOLTEN METAL filed June 20, 1966 .Sheet 5 O1" 6 Fig. 4

INVENTOR.

Martin C. F a/lr :2, %%ZA% H/S ATTORNEYS April 1, 1969 c, F 3,435,882

GANTRY CAR APPARATUS FOR CASTING MOLTEN METAL Filed June 20, 1966 Sheet 4 of G I 22 n Q i IN VEN TOR.

Mar/in C. F al/r H/S ATTORNEYS vFig.5

M. C FALK April 1, 1969 GANTRY CAR APPARATUS FOR CASTING MOLTEN METAL Sheet i ofF Filed June 20, 1966 INVENTOR. v Martin 62 Fa/lr 2AM! H/s rm/m5 rs vApril 1, 1969 M. c. FALK 3,435,882

GANTRY CAR APPARATUS FOR CASTING MOLTEN METAL Filed June 20, 1966 Sheet Q of 6 I Fig Q Marti/7 2 223 2 5/5 A T TORNE Y5 United States Patent US. Cl. 164-323 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF TIIE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for handling refined molten metal on a plant floor including, a first longitudinal trackway along the floor, a series of ingot cars on said trackway for carrying ingot molds, a second longitudinal trackway extending along the floor in a transversely-outwardly spaced relation with respect to said first trackway, a gantry car constructed for movement along said second trackway in an overhead straddling relationship with respect to said first trackway and the ingot cars and ingot molds thereon, a ladle carried on said gantry car having a bottom pouring spout, means for moving said gantry car along said second trackway from a molten metal receiving station to an ingot mold filling station, and means for aligning the pour spout of said ladle with a succession of the ingot molds that are advanced along said first trackway on said ingot cars.

This invention relates to apparatus for receiving and handling molten metal, such as steel, that has been subjected to melting and refining in a furnace vessel, such as in an oxygen converter. A phase of the invention pertains to an improved teeming ladle apparatus and another phase to a system for receiving, pouring and casting molten metal that is to be formed into ingots The present invention deals with improving the handling of molten metal, particularly from the standpoint of a teeming ladle and associated ingot molds. It deals with the cooperative utilization of teeming ladle apparatus and ingot mold apparatus and with providing an improved efiiciency of handling molten metal which has been previously melted and refined and is to be formed into suitable cast shapes, as in ingot molds.

It has been an object of the invention to devise a new and improved operating system for handling molten metal that is to be solidified into a suitable shape or shapes as in the form of an ingot;

Another object of the invention has been to devise a system or apparatus for providing an improved and more effective cooperative utilization of a teeming ladle and ingot molds that are adapted to be filled with molten metal from the ladle and to cast the metal in the form of ingots;

Another object of the invention has been to devise an improved teeming ladle for molten metal which will have an increased efi'iciency in utilization;

A still further object of the invention has been to develop a flexible apparatus system which will minimize the plant space required, which will provide an improved cooperative functioning relationship between molten metal pouring means, such as a teeming ladle, and a group of molten metal receiving, forming or casting means, such as a group of ingot molds;

These and other objects of the invention will appear to those skilled in the art from the illustrated embodiments and the claims.

In the drawings, FIGURE 1 is 'a side view in elevation showing an operating system or apparatus constructed and utilized in accordance with the invention; in this figure, a teeming ladle is illustrated as carried on a longitudinally moving gantry truck or car for both receiving molten metal from a furnace vessel and for pouring or discharging the molten metal into a progressive series of molds which, in themselves, are illustrated as movable in the same longitudinal line and within confines of the ladle car;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view on the scale of FIGURE 1 further illustrating the apparatus of such figure;

FIGURE 3 is an end view in elevation on the scale of FIGURES 1 and 2, taken from the left end of the operating line of such figures, and particularly illustrating the cooperative relationship between the teeming ladle and an ingot mold;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged side elevational section taken centrally of FIGURE 3 and illustrating means for removably, adjustably and resiliently supporting the teeming ladle on its gantry car;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmental side elevation on the scale of FIGURE 4 and illustrating details of the construction and mounting of a drive mechanism for a wheeled truck of a gantry car which is also illustrated in the left-hand bottom portions of FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmental side view in elevation on the scale of FIGURES and showing the wheeled truck With its driving means removed to better illustrate its suspended mounting from the gantry car;

. FIGURE 7 is a fragmental end view in elevation on the scale of FIGURE 5 showing the apparatus of and taken from the left-hand side of such figure;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmental end section in elevation on the scale of FIGURES 4 to 7, inclusive, illustrating a pouring nozzle and inside-operating stopper assembly for the teeming ladle of FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmental horizontal sectional detail onthe scale of FIGURE 8 and illustrating an auxiliary stopper apparatus for the pouring nozzle of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmental sectional detail in elevation on the scale of and of the apparatus of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is an end view in elevation on the scale of and similar to FIGURE 3, with the teeming ladle removed for clarity and illustrating a modified embodiment of a gantry car for the teeming ladle;

And, FIGURE 12 is a view similar to and on the scale of FIGURE 11 showing a further embodiment of a teeming ladle car.

In carrying out the invention, a group or progressive longitudinal line of ingot cars or trucks A, A and A" are positioned for movement along a trackway 11 that may be located on the plant floor 10, with each car carrying a pair of ingot molds B in an upright position thereon for movement therewith. The cars A, A and A are provided with a conventional disconnect type of coupling 12, in order that they may be progressively advanced along the transversely spaced-apart rails of the longitudinal trackway 11 into and out of a cooperative aligned and pour-receiving position with respect to a bottom pouring nozzle 71 of a teeming ladle E. In this connection, the cars A, etc., may be advanced by any suitable means,

such as a motor-driven pusher or a pulling tractor, and

after they have ben filled, may be disconnected, as desired, and move to any suitable plant location for the ingot stripping operation.

Further, invaccordance with the invention, the teeming ladle E is removably-supported and centrally-carried on a gantry car C in an overhead position with respect to the ingot molds B and, as particularly illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, in such a manner as to straddle such molds, their cars A, etc., and thus permit their free independent longitudinal movement.

A heavy charge of melted and refined molten metal may be poured into the wide open mouth of the teeming ladle E at a pouring station by, for example, tilting the furnace vessel. At this time, stopper assembly F of the ladle has its plunger or stopper 73 in a position to closeotf its pouring nozzle 71. The gantry car C may then be employed to move the ladle E along the longitudinal rails and 15' of its trackway to an ingot filling or pouring station. It will thus be apparent that a group or series of ingot molds B of much lesser capacity than the ladle E can be successively or progressively advanced and filled by opening the stopper assembly F as each individual ingot mold B is moved to an underpositioned, aligned relation with the pouring nozzle 71. As shown particularly in FIGURES 3, 11 and 12, the gantry car C, C' or C" has an overhead support frame shown of rectangular shape and is adapted to carry the ladle E in its central opening spacing. As shown particularly in FIGURE 3, the gantry car C has fluid motor means 63 for moving or adjusting the ladle E transversely or horizontally with respect thereto to align its nozzle 71 centrally with the ingot molds B and fluid motor means 70 to cushion the ladle when it is placed on the support frame and carried thereby.

The gantry car C, C or C", is constructed for longitudinal movement along transversely-outwardly-spaced rail members 15 and 15, at least one of which 15 is shown positioned along the plant floor 10. In the embodiments of FIGURES 3 and 12, the other rail member 15' is positioned on a vertically-upwardly-extending and longitudinally-projecting, stationary support platform D, rather than on the plant floor, as shown in the embodiment of FIGURE 11. The cars C and C" are thus of a cantilever type or inverted L-shape and the car C is of a U-shape. As illustrated, the platform D is provided with an outer, vertically-extending railing 16. 'In all embodiments, the gantry car is shown as motor driven for movement along its trackway in an enclosing or spanning relation with respect to the ingot molds B, their associated trucks A, etc., and the trackway 11.

The gantry car C illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, like the embodiments of FIGURES 11 and 12, has an overhead horizontal support frame provided by opposed, horizontal I-beam side frame members and 20 and by connected, opposed I-beam end framing members 21 to form a substantially rectangular frame structure that is centrally open to receive the lower end of the teeming ladle E therethrough. The overhead frame is carried by a pair of transversely spaced-apart side or vertical frames. One side frame of major extent of the gantry cars C and C" and both said frames of major extent of the gantry car C has a pair of upright I-beam framing members 22 and 22', see FIGURES 1 and 2. The side framing defines open end spaces beneath the overhead support frame. The upright beam members 22 and 22' are connected by a bottom, horizontally-extending, side E-beam member 24 to define a side rectangular frame. In FIGURE 1, diagonal, corner, reinforcing members 25 extend between the bottom side member 24 and the upright members 22 and 22. Diagonal end braces 26 may, as shown in FIGURE 3, extend from bottom end portions of the upright members 22 and 22 to the end beams 21 of the upper frame. This provides a strong framing beam construction for supporting the heavy weight of the teeming ladle E and of the molten metal charge that is to be carried thereby. As shown in FIGURE 3, a protective skirt or hood of platelike construction may be secured to project from the upright beam member 22 to protect driving motor means for a bottom truck 30 of the gantry car C.

As shown particularly in FIGURES 2 and 3, one end of the gantry car C is provided with a back end pair of motor-driven wheeled trucks 30 and 30' which are of similar construction, but have a different positioning with respect to the frame, in that the truck 30 is mounted adjacent a lower portion of the frame for movement along the floor rail 15, while the truck 30' is positioned for movement along platform rail 15' and is carried by the upper framing of the car. Thus, a description of the construction of one truck such as 30 and its driving means will suflice to illustrate the other truck 30 and its mounting means. Referring particularly to FIGURES 1, 6 and 7, the truck 30 is adapted to carry a pair of cross-extending axle shafts 33 and 33 with their corresponding flanged wheels 34 which may be secured for rotation with the shafts. Each axle 33 and 33' is suspended at its ends at opposite sides of the truck 30 by a shock-absorbing spring mounting which utilizes a mounting lug 30a projecting from a side of the truck, a mounting block 35 within which each axle is rotatably positioned, and an outwardlyprojecting lug 35a adjacent the top end of each block 35. A nut and bolt assembly extends between the lugs 30a and 35a to suspend each block 35 from inverted U-shaped truck body 30 (see FIGURE 7), and a pair of oppositelypositioned coil springs 37 are carried by each block 35 to abut the under side of the truck 30.

What may be termed the back axle shaft 33 is driven in a manner shown particularly in FIGURES 1, 2, 5 and 7, by a reversible electric motor 50 which is bolted on a front platform portion 40b of a platform 40 which at its back end, is carried on a driven axle shaft 41 and, at its opposite or front end, is suspended from the side beam member 24 by a suspension rod 51. It will be noted that the rod 51 has an eyelet at its lower end through which a pivot pin 40c carried by the platform 40 extends and, at its upper end, is resiliently-carried on a side bracket extension 24a from the beam member 24 by means of a spiral spring 52 and nut assembly 53. The nut assembly '53 enables adjustment of the tension of the spring 52. With reference to the truck 30', a side bracket or arm 55 extends from the beam member 20' and corresponds in functioning to the side bracket 24a for the truck 30.

The back end portion of the platform 40 carries a gear housing 40a which has the drive shaft 41 that is connected through a coupling 38 to the driven axle shaft 33' (see FIGURES 5 and 7). The axle shaft 33 is, at its ends, rotatably-carried in a pair of the mounting blocks 35 that are suspended from the U-shaped truck 30 which, in turn, is pivotally-carried by a pair of pins 32 (see FIGURES 6 and 7) from within a bifurcated or inverted U-shaped mounting bracket 31. The bracket 31 is secured to and projects from the bottom flange of the lower beam member 24. This is the same mounting that is employed for the non-driven shafts 33 of the trucks 30.

As shown particularly in FIGURES 5 and 7, the drive shaft of the motor 50 is adapted to actuate an extension shaft 47 by means of a coupling 48. The extension shaft 47 carries a drive pinion 46 thereon within the housing 40a which meshes with a gear 45 secured on one end of an intermediate drive shaft 44 which is also carried within the housing 44a and which, at its back end, has a drive worm 33 thereon. The drive worm 33 is adapted to mesh, as shown particularly in FIGURE 5, with a worm gear 42 which is feathered or secured on the shaft 41 to actuate it and thus, in turn, to actuate the axle shaft 33' and its associated pair of flanged wheels 34. With reference to FIGURE 3, the mounting and the construction of the drive mechanism for the upper truck 30' is the same as that of the lower truck 30, except that it is suspended from the upper side beam member 20' instead of a lower member 24. Prime suffixes have been applied to corresponding parts of the truck 30 in FIG- URE 3.

It will thus be apparent that the gantry car C can be driven longitudinally along the track members 15 and 15', to not only align it with an upwardly-positioned furnace vessel at a pouring station and receive molten metal therefrom, but can also be driven to a general pouring station or area into a cooperating relation with a line of ingot molds B.

As shown particularly in FIGURES 1 to 4, inclusive, the upper frame of the gantry car C is provided with a transversely spaced-apart upwardlyrojecting pair of stands or mounts 60 on each end beam member 21 of the upper frame that are secured thereto and project upwardly therefrom to position a pair of opposed end support assemblies for the teeming ladle E. A transversely-extending and horizontally-positioned, lower, support bar member 61 is vertically-slidably positioned at its opposite ends within vertical retaining slotted or guide portions 60a (see FIGURE 4) in each pair of end mounts 60 for vertical adjustment and movement with respect thereto. As shown particularly in FIGURE 4 of the drawings, each lower support bar 61 has an upwardlyopen grooved or retention slotted portion 61a extending therealong to receive bearing assemblies 68 of any suitable conventional construction.

The ladle E has, at each of its opposed ends or sides, a pair of outwardly-projecting support or positioning arms 66 which, at their inner ends, are secured to the metal shell of the ladle E and to an intermediate reinforcing ring 67 extending thereabout. An upper slide bar member 65 of shorter extent than the spacing between the mounts 60 is endwise-slidably positioned on the lower vertical-movable bar member 61. The slide bar member 65 has a downwardly-open grooved or retention slotted portion 65a to cooperatively-receive the bearing assemblies 68 in cooperation with the portion 61a of the member 61. Each upper bar member 65 is adapted to move horizontally or transversely between the stands or mounts 60, as actuated through lug or connecting arm portion 65b that extends through a slotted portion 61b of the lower member 61 and is bifurcated at its lower end. The lower end of the arm portion 65b has a pivot mounting on a head portion 63b that is carried by a piston rod 63a of a reversible fluid motor 63. The motor 63, at its one end, is secured to and projects from an end mount '62 that is secured to an underside of the lower bar member '61. It Will be noted that the slotted portion 61b has a suflicient length to permit a full extent of slide movement of the slide member 65 between the m'ounts 60. It will thus be apparent that actuation of the fluid motor 63 will cause the pair of spaced-apart upper bar members 65 and the ladle E carried thereon to move transversely with respect to the lower bar member 61.

Each lower bar member 61 is resiliently-positioned in a vertical direction on bumper ends or heads 70a of a pair of fluid shock absorbed motors 70. The pair of fluid motors at each end of the gantry car C are mounted on end beam members 21 to project upwardly therefrom and resiliently support the vertical positioning of the lower bar support member 61 on a fluid cushion to thus provide a shock-absorbing action when, for example, the ladle E is lowered into position by a plant crane on the gantry car C or molten metal is being poured into it from a fur-ance vessel. The fluid motors 70 may also be actuated to adjust the vertical positioning of each support assembly and thus, of the ladle E. The amount of fluid pressure applied to the lower end of the piston of each fluid motor 70 may be adjusted to provide a desired shock-absorbing action with reference to the ladle E. The movement induced by the pair of fluid motors 63 which, like the motors 70, may be connected in parallel for simultaneous operation, enables the nozzle 71 of the ladle E to be accurately aligned with an ingot mold B and to be varied as to its alignment, as desired, during the delivery of pouring ofmetal from the ladle into an ingot mold B.

The mounted positioning of the support arms 66 on the metal shell of the ladle E, as particularly shown in 'FIGURE 3, is reinforced by their under-abutting position with respect to the intermediate reinforcing flange 67 thereof. An upper flange 67a serves the same function for a mount 6712 (see also FIGURE 8) which carries a stopper assembly F. As shown, the stopper assembly F may be of conventional construction, having an inwardly-operating plug or stopper 73 that extends downward- 1y within the ladle E for movement into and out of eng-agement with a concave upper end portion of the pouring nozzle 71. The stopper 73 is moved vertically into and out of a flow closing-off relation with respect to the nozzle 71 by means of a slide assembly carried by the mount 67b and actuated by a reversible fluid motor 72.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 3, 9 and 10, an emergency or auxiliary closure for the pouring nozzle 71 has been illustrated. This closure has a stopper arm which, at its extending end, carries a ceramic stopper block 81 having a cavity 81a therein for receiving the nozzle 71 to cooperate with and close-off its outer convex end portion. The closing-off operation is accomplished by sliding or moving the arm 80 vertically-upwardly on a pivot pin 78 that is carried by a pair of spaced apart mounts 75a. The mounts 75a, as shown particularly in FIGURE 10, extend from a short length vertical extension beam 75 that projects from the side frame member 20' between its front truck and back driven truck 30' on one side gantry car C. A shelf bracket 79 projects from the beam member 75 and carries a reversible fl-uid motor 85 thereon whose pusher head 85a is adapted to engage the underside of the arm 80 and move it vertically on the pivot pin 78 into and out of a closingoff position with respect to the nozzle 71.

The arm 80, as shown particularly in FIGURE 9, is adapted to be swung horizontally into and out of vertical alignment with the nozzle 71 on the pin 78, as limited by a back stop 77 also secured on the beam member 75. A second reversible fluid motor 86 is, at its back end, pivotally-secured on a bifurcated mount 76a and its piston rod '87, at its forward end, is pivotally-secured within a bifurcated mount 80a carried by the arm 80'. The back mount 76a is secured on the extension member 76 of the beam 75. It will thus be apparent that the motor 86 enables the auxiliary stopper to be swung into a vertically-aligned and out to a noninterfering position with the nozzle 71, as indicated by the dot and dash line and the solid line positions of FIGURE 9. When the arm '80 is in its vertically-aligned position with the nozzle 71, its box 81 may be moved upwardly to engage, receive and close-off the outer end of the nozzle or spout 71.

FIGURE 3 shows another embodiment of a gantry car C which has full length legs on both of its sides and whose drive truck units 30 are adapted to ride on rails 15 and 15' that are positioned along the plant floor. In FIGURE 12, I have shown a cantilever construction of the gantry car C, similar to that of FIG- UR-E 3, but its driven wheeled trucks 93 and 94 are actuated by a common reversible electric motor 90 carried on a platform 92 that is suspended from back end frame member 21. As shown, the motor 90 has oppositelyextending drive shafts which actuate gear reduction units 91 and 91' that are connected through coupling, shaft members and meshing gears, to drive a shaft corresponding to the shaft 41 of FIGURE 7 that is coupled to a driven axle shaft 33'.

It will be apparent from a study of FIGURES 1 and 2, that a system such as shown will enable an improved cooperative operating functioning of a teeming ladle E with respect to a group or series of ingot molds B. It will also be apparent in view of the description and showing of FIGURE 3 that the ladle E can be adjusted in height by actuating the fluid shock absorbing motors 70 to suit different sizes or heights of ingot molds B, and that the ladle E can be horizontally-transversely moved on bearing assemblies 68 to best suit the pouring of the steel into the ingot molds B. Further, in the event of a failure or the malfunctioning of the stopper assembly F, auxiliary means is provided as illustrated in FIGURES 3, 9 and 10 to close-off the ladle E to prevent damage to the equipment and wastage of the refined molten metal. As shown in FIGURE 1, the teeming ladle E has side trunnions 13 that may be engaged by books of an overhead crane or hoist for moving it into and out of position on the gantry car C, C or C".

In the gantry car apparatus illustrated, the gantry car is mounted on wheeled trucks, one end truck 30 or 30' of each side pair has a pair of its flanged wheels driven by motor means carried by the car for moving it longitudinally along or with respect to the plant floor 10', for example, between a furnace vessel pouring station and an ingot mold pouring or filling station. The gantry car is adapted to move in an endwise-straddling relation with respect to a longitudinal line of upright ingot molds; in this connection it has a pair of transversely spaced-apart side frames that are provided with parts that carry the wheeled trucks. In the construction of FIGURES 3 and 12, such a part is of minor vertical extent along one side and the stationary frame part D along such side completes its side frame. Thus the side frames of the construction of FIGURES 11 as well as the construction of FIGURES 3 and 12 defines an endwise-open straddle area with the overhead support frame that is connected to the parts carrying the wheeled trucks.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated, it will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made with respect to the apparatus shown and that principles of the invention may be applied in other ways fully in accordance with its teachings without departing from its spirit and scope.

I claim:

1. A system for handling refined molten metal on a plant floor or the like which comprises, a first longitudinal trackway along the fioor, a series of ingot cars on said trackway for carrying ingot molds in an upright position therealong, a second longitudinal trackway extending along the floor in a transversely-outwardly spaced relation with respect to said first trackway, a gantry car having a frame constructed for movement along said second trackway in an overhead straddling relationship with respect to said first trackway and the ingot cars and ingot molds thereon, a ladle carried on said gantry car in an overhead upright position thereon and having a bottom pouring spout for molten metal therein, means for moving said gantry car along said second trackway from a molten metal receiving station to an ingot mold filling station, means for supporting said ladle and aligning the pour spout thereof with a succession of the ingot molds that are advanced along said first trackway on said ingot cars; said supporting and aligning means comprising, opposed side pairs of cooperating movable bars on said gantry car, means on said gantry car to engage each of said pairs for supporting said ladle in an overhead position thereon, and means cooperating with one bar of each of said pairs for raising and lowering and cooperating with the other bar of each of said pairs for moving said ladle horizontally on the gantry car and with respect to ingot molds carried by said ingot cars.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein, a side platform is positioned on the floor and extends along said first trackway in a transversely outwardly-spaced relation with respect thereto, said second trackway has one rail positioned on said platform and has a second rail on the floor in a transversely-outwardly spaced relation with respect to said first trackway; and said gantry car has an inverted L-shaped frame, one side of which has a major vertical extent to cooperate with said second rail and the other side of which has a minor vertical extent to cooperate with said first rail.

3. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein, said gantry car has opposed vertical side frames, wheeled trucks are mounted on said side frames for movement along said second trackway, and reversible motor means is carried by said side frames and operatively-connected to the wheels of said trucks to actuate them for movement along said second trackway.

4. In a system as defined in claim 1, said means for raising and lowering said ladle is a pair of fluid motors on said gantry car along opposed sides of said ladle.

5. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein, an overhead frame connects said side frames, a drive motor is operatively-positioned on said overhead frame and has driving connections for actuating the wheels on both of said side frames.

6. In a gantry car apparatus mounted for longitudinal movement on wheeled trucks in an endwise-straddling relation with respect to a longitudinal line of upright ingot molds to carry a molten metal receiving ladle having a bottom pouring spout in an upright position thereon, a pair of transversely spaced-apart side frames having parts carrying the wheeled trucks and connected by an overhead support frame, said pair of side frames defining an endwise-open straddle area with said support frame, said support frame defining a vertically-open area therein for receiving the ladle, support arms projecting from opposite sides of the ladle, a pair of opposed support assemblies on said support frame and cooperating therewith to receive said support arms and position the ladle in an upright position on said support frame, and each of said support assemblies having a cooperating pair of upper and lower side bar members, one bar member of each pair being movable in one direction with and being movable in another direction with respect to the other bar member of the same pair for aligning the ladle on said support frame.

7. In a gantry car apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein motor means is operatively-connected to said one bar member for actuating it.

8. In a gantry car apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein each of said support assemblies has resilient means for cushioning the positioning of the ladle on said support frame.

9. In a gantry car apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein each of said support assemblies comprises, a pair of transversely spaced-apart mounts secured to and projecting upwardly from said support frame, said lower bar member being positioned for up and down movement between said pair of mounts, and said upper bar member being positioned on said first bar member for transverse movement with respect thereto between said pair of mounts; said upper bar member of said pair of support assemblies being adapted to receive said support arms of the ladle.

10. In a gantry car apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein, fluid motor means projects upwardly from said support means to engage said lower bar member, and fluid motor means is carried by said lower bar member and is operatively-connected to said upper bar member for moving said upper bar member between said pair of mounts.

11. In a gantry car apparatus mounted for longitudinal movement on wheeled trucks in an endwise-straddling relation with respect to a longitudinal line of upright ingot molds to carry a molten metal receiving ladle having a bottom pouring spout in an upright position thereon, a pair of transversely spaced-apart side frames having parts carrying the wheeled trucks and connected by an overhead support frame, said pair of side frames defining an endwise-open straddle area with said support frame, said support frame defining a vertically-open area therein for receiving the ladle, support arms projecting from opposite sides of the ladle, a pair of opposed support assemblies on said support frame and cooperating therewith to receive said support arms and position the ladle in an upright position on said support frame, each of said support assemblies having horizontally-movable means for aligning the ladle on said support frame; each of said support assemblies comprising a pair of transversely spaced-apart mounts secured on and projecting upwardly from opposite ends of said support frame, a vertically-movable bar member guidably-carried for vertical movement between said pair of mounts, fluid motor means positioned on said side frame and projecting upwardly therefrom to engage an under side of said vertically-movable bar member to resiliently hold it in a selected vertical position with respect thereto and, upon actuation, to adjust the vertical positioning thereof between said pair of mounts, a slotted portion through said vertical bar member, said horizontally-movable means being an upper slide bar member of shorter endwise extent than the transverse spacing between said pair of mounts, bearing means positioned between an upper face of said vertically-movable 'bar member and a lower face of said slide bar member positioning said slide bar member for horizontal movement with respect to and on said vertical bar member between said pair of mounts, an arm projecting downwardly from said slide bar member through the slotted portion in said vertically-movable bar member, and fluid motor means secured to the under side of said vertically-movable bar member and operatively-connected to said arm for actuating said slide bar member for horizontal movement between said pair of mounts; said slide bar members having upper sides to removably-receive said support arms of the ladle thereon.

12. In a gantry car apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein, a motor drive means is carried in an overhead position by said support frame, and operating connections extend from said motor drive means along said parts of said side frames and are connected to actuate wheels of the wheeled trucks carried by said parts.

13. In a gantry car apparatus as defined in claim 6 for operation on a plant floor wherein, said part of one of said side frames is of major vertical extent and said part of the other of said side frames is of minor vertical extent, the other of said side frames has a stationary frame part positioned on the plant fioor to extend therealong, a track rail is positioned on said stationary frame part for receiving wheels of the wheeled trucks carried by said part of minor extent, and a track rail is: positioned on the plant floor for receiving wheels of said part of major vertical extent.

14. In a gantry car apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein, an auxiliary stopper means is operatively-carried by one of said side frames and has a stopper arm projecting horizontally-inwardly :beneath said support frame towards the bottom pouring spout of the ladle, and operating means is carried by said one side frame. for swinging said stopper arm into and out of a vertically-aligned relation with the pouring spout and for raising it into and out of closing-off engagement with the pouring spout.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,340,422 5/1920 Sheldon 164-322 2,889,597 6/1959 Griffiths 164-335 2,957,936 10/ 1960 Bugge 164-337 X 3,255,499 6/ 1966 Crowell et a1 214-312 X 3,273,208 9/1966 Greenberger 164-337 X J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner. ROBERT D. BALDWIN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 164-337; 214-41; 222- 

